King's Head Inn, Aylesbury
The King's Head is one of the oldest
The oldest part of the current structure of the building is of 15th-century design;
History
The history of The King's Head starts in 1455,[2] with the first documentary reference appearing in a conveyance between William Wandeford, a London wool merchant, and Ralph Verney, a former master of the London Mercer's Company, dated 18 December 1455. It refers to the newly built 'Kyngeshede', as well as a cellar and shop, and cottages.[3] The Great Hall is the oldest standing structure on site, dating back to the 1470s, and was built as a guest house by the Verney family (of nearby Claydon House).
From the mid 17th century onwards, The King's Head thrived as a
In c.1750, innkeeper William Bell converted the cottages (now the public house) to accommodate
The English Civil War
At the time of the Civil War, Aylesbury was very much in support of the Parliamentarians against Charles I.[7] It is likely that at some point, Parliamentarian troops would have visited The King's Head. It is thought that Oliver Cromwell was in Aylesbury around 1650, although there is no evidence that he stayed at The King's Head.
It is claimed that the inn is linked to other churches and establishments in the town via a system of underground tunnels that were in use during the Civil War as escape routes should the town be taken by Royalist troops. However, there is no evidence of this and it is more likely that these 'tunnels' are simply cellars.
Following the English Civil War
Construction
In the Great Hall, the wattle and daub timber construction can be seen on display.[2] Wattle was twigs and branches woven between the upright timber posts. Daub was the name given to clay, lime and horsehair pushed into the wattle frame forming a weatherproof surface.
Notable features
A rare surviving clock decorates the wall, a Tavern clock, also known as an Act of Parliament clock. In 1797, William Pitt the Younger introduced a tax on all clocks and watches and public clocks such as these became much more popular to check the time of day. The bar was installed by the Rothschild family who had acquired the property as a hotel in the 19th century. In the snug next to the bar is an example of Victorian era wallpaper that would once have covered the whole room.
In the late 17th century, The King's Head began taking delivery of mail, which was dropped by horsemen through a hatch behind the mirrors. The room is called the 'Glue Pot' as mail was once sorted and stamped here. Beneath a range of meat hooks is a square patch where the hole for the post would have been dropped into the Glue Pot. It is just the right height for a mail delivery on horseback. The cobbled passage leads into the courtyard that dates back to the early 14th century when it was the original market square. There are three layers of cobblestones.
Ghost stories
The supernatural history of The King's Head tells of at least three known ghosts to haunt the property. One is that of The Grey Lady, a ghost said to stand by the fireplace in the Great Hall and another has also been seen in the corridor by the red staircase. It is thought that she is a maid who fell to her death in about 1900.
Rooms
Georgian Room
The Georgian Room is so called because of the style of panel on the walls, which date from between 1714 and 1837. The Hussar's belt and satchel on the wall belong to the Royal Bucks Hussars. The belt would have held a decorative sword used by the mounted cavalry of the 19th century. The satchel is surrounded by silver braid with 'VR' surmounted by a crown on the centre panel.
Gatehouse Chamber
One of the grandest rooms at The King's Head is the Gatehouse Chamber. This dates from the mid-16th century but, in the 17th century,
Solar room
The Solar Room, built directly above the Great Hall, was the master bedroom and, according to local folklore, was the suite where
Dining room
The Dining Room was built in the late 19th century when the King's Head was a hotel. George Devey inserted the oak panels. The room originally had two fireplaces and it was here, in November 2003, that the ghost of a nun was seen. The nun had been seen before, but only ever appearing to ladies, and the dining room itself was built on land that once belonged to the church or
The National Trust
After a number of years serving as a hotel as part of the Rothschild business empire, the property was donated to the
The pub, The Farmers' Bar, within The King's Head site has been run by The Chiltern Brewery since 2005.
References
- ^ Historic England. "The Kings Head Hotel (Grade II*) (1160205)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
- ^ a b c National Trust Archived 2010-07-06 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b Discover The King's Head, Aylesbury: The National Trust King's Head Guidebook 2009
- ^ a b Britain Express
- ^ British History Online
- ^ a b Aylesbury Vale District Council
- ^ Kevin Peters, 'The Battle of Aylesbury: Was Oliver Cromwell really there?', Aylesbury Town Council Magazine, December 2009
- ^ a b Middleton, Christopher (12 June 2009). "UK Pub Guide: The King's Head, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire". The Daily Telegraph. London.